To this day, you probably have a favourite teacher. Perhaps it’s a teacher that went the extra mile for you, inspired your future career path, or coached you in a sport. Teachers play an important role in all our lives, and deserve recognition for all that they do, both inside and outside the classroom.

As part of the 2022 Manitoba’s Best Teacher contest hosted by Manitoba Pork, parents, guardians, students, staff, and others have shared inspiring stories of teachers across our province. Stories about teachers who have gone above and beyond to make a great impact on the lives of students and their communities during the 2021-2022 school year. This year's contest brought in 220 nominations telling stories of mentorship, philanthropy, and incredible dedication to both the teaching profession and to students.

Manitoba Pork awarded five grand prizes to teachers across the province, consisting of a $750 VISA gift card to be used for their classroom, as well as a catered pork-based lunch for the teachers and staff of the winning schools. Five additional teachers received $250 VISA gift cards to put towards improving their schools.

The 220 nominations included inspirational and thoughtful words, demonstrating the role each teacher has played in making their school community a better place this year. Here is just a snapshot of some of the nominations that came in:

“Without her, I wouldn’t have been able to build the skills required to help me further in my future career, or science in general.”- R. Pangilinan

“Every student that has the privilege of her being their teacher becomes a better student and citizen of the world after being in her class.” – C. Muzyka

“She would use every last dime to support her students – they are basically her kids!” – M. Salyn

“She creates learning experiences for the whole school, not just her class, and she continually promotes lifelong learning and inspires youth.” – A. Schmidt

“…we are so lucky our daughter gets to have her as a teacher, coach, and role model.” – M. Baldwin

Manitoba’s pork producers are proud to give back to the communities in which they live and work. On behalf of its producers, Manitoba Pork supports community causes throughout the province all year round, and the 'Manitoba’s Best Teacher' contest is another example of the passion producers have for supporting the well-being of their communities big and small.

Thank you, Manitoba teachers, for all the hard work you do each day for students, parents, and guardians. You play a significant role in the lives of students that extends far beyond test scores or even their time in school.

To learn more, visit manitobapork.com/teacher